Former NBA player Matt Barnes has in a recent appearance on NBA player Paul George’s podcast, opened up about the infamous Kobe Bryant incident that drew numerous death threats against him and his family.
Matt Barnes says fans threatened to kill him and his kids after Kobe Bryant incident: https://t.co/UEHeeMrNxi
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 7, 2024
Barnes made an impression with a fake pass that looked like a direct hit on late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant"s face, marking one of the defining moments of his career.
The incident took place amidst a competitive atmosphere between Barnes" team, the Orlando Magic, and the Lakers.
The teams had faced off in previous games, stirring up a whirlwind of competitive emotions that influenced Barnes" move.
The perceived intimidation tactic turned the tables as Barnes was now subjected to alarming threats.
"It was crazy because I was getting super death threats after that," Barnes said about the play. "I was kind of the bad guy, the villain, whatever. But, I became the real villain after that s—. People said on Twitter they’re gonna kill me. They’re gonna find my address, kill my kids, kill my girl. ‘Come to L.A. You better never come back to L.A. We gonna kill you.’ You can’t f— with Kobe. Them eses in L.A. don’t play about the Lakers and [Los Angeles] Dodgers and particularly Kobe. Bro, I got so many death threats. I kid you not."
Barnes’ decision to execute a fake pass at Bryant wasn"t unprovoked. He had previously received a number of hefty hits from Bryant.
Some right under the nose of the referees. The pass was meant to serve as retaliation to previous provocations.
Many questioned whether the feint was ramped up by personal animosity, but Barnes insists it was merely a strategic intimidation tactic.
Despite Barnes"s infamous act failing to intimidate Bryant, it indeed added to a game remembered by many fans to this day.
Bryant finished the contest, shooting an impressive 34 points, reinforcing his status as one of the greatest players in the sport.
Barnes" Orlando Magic, however, walked away with a narrow 96-94 win. Later, Barnes joined the Lakers for two seasons, both ending with eliminations in conference semifinals.
